What's going on with these poor hens?

[w8ing4eggs]

I thought it might be mites, so I completely cleaned out the coop with vinegar and dusted the birds and the coop with Sevin. Repeated the dusting a week later, and another week later....I don't think it's any better! I can't tell if they are pecking each other or if it's pests! This has been going on for months! (I first posted in December.) It started with just one bird balding, then two...now 6 of the 8 have bald spots! Two of them have feathers missing from the TOP near their tail feathers, the other four have bare butts! Ugh! They appear happy and healthy and most days we are still getting 6 to 8 eggs! Help!

 

[Judy]

Looks like feather picking. Felt to be due to too lmited space, too little protein in the diet, boredom, or a combination. If they have regular access to all that space and grass, I'd look at their diet. What are you feeding them? If a layer feed with table scraps or veggies added, you may be giving so many veggies that it is effectively decreasing their protein intake. Try to find animal sourced protein such as meat scraps, eggs, fish meal added to food, etc.

More info:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/back-to-basic-living-feather-picking-plucking-and-cannibalism

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/697052/i-think-i-found-a-miracle-cure-for-feather-picking